Pic; left Juliet French and right Olga Kotovich
Winterstoke Hundred Academy has been selected by the British Council as one of just 100 schools across the UK to take part in a landmark groundbreaking international project celebrating 100 years of UK–Ukraine relations.
As part of this initiative, the academy has been partnered with Balta Lyceum No. 4, based in Balta, Odessa, with Ukrainian teacher Olga Kotovich leading collaboration from the partner school.
The British Council project aims to promote reading for pleasure and foster cultural connections between young people in the UK and Ukraine through shared learning and creative exchange.
Earlier this year, teachers from both nations travelled to Poland to take part in joint training sessions, collaborative planning, and cultural exchange workshops designed to strengthen school partnerships and inspire future projects.
Since forming the partnership, students at Winterstoke Hundred Academy have exchanged welcome letters with their Ukrainian counterparts and have also written to Ukraine students on a range of cultural topics including how Halloween is celebrated in the UK.
Currently, students are producing a video tour of the school to share with their partner class in Ukraine.
They have also chosen a bilingual English Ukrainian book to read together as part of the project, encouraging language learning and shared enjoyment of storytelling.
Looking ahead, the school hopes to organise a live online meeting between students and teachers in both countries, to continue building on these international links.
Juliet French, Head of Faculty for Languages at Winterstoke Hundred Academy, said: “This partnership is a wonderful opportunity for our students to connect with their peers across Europe and to develop a deeper understanding of different cultures.
“Through reading, language learning, and creative collaboration, our young people are discovering that stories and ideas can build bridges, even across borders.
“We’re incredibly proud to be part of this initiative and excited to see how it grows.”
